Unexpected
by Kathryn Mason-Sykes
Summary: When Troy and Gabriella learn that they are going to be parents, everything changes. Except how they feel about one another. Troyella.
1. Merry Christmas

_DISCLAIMER: Certain characters, themes, and ideas have been taken from the world of High School Musical created by Disney and subsidiaries. No copyright infringement is intended and I claim no ownership of anything you recognize. _

_A/N: I know there are many stories with similar premises, but this story is entirely of my own conception and creation (if you don't count the fact that I'm using HSM characters). I have completed a first draft of this work (it's 72 pages hand-written) and will be updating as I get it typed and edited. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thank you!_

**Chapter One—Merry Christmas**

East High had come to know them as the power couple. Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez made everything—from scholastics to basketball—look easy. It had been nearly a year since "Triple Threat Friday", as their friends had dubbed the day of the Scholastic Decathlon, regional basketball game, and Twinkle Towne callbacks, and Troy and Gabriella were still together and taking the school by storm.

The Homecoming game in October had been a true testament of Troy and Gabriella's presence at East High. Both of them now Seniors, they were crowned Homecoming King and Queen by their peers. Though neither of them would consider popularity a perk of their relationship, it was an effect nonetheless.

The Homecoming dance had been phenomenal, but it was the after-party that was the pinnacle of the evening. Ryan and Sharpay Evans had opened their home to the entire Senior class, and even without a drop of alcohol present everyone enjoyed the conversation, karaoke, and poker that ensued. Troy and Gabriella visibly enjoyed each other's company throughout the evening, neither straying far from the other's side.

Looking back, Gabriella pinpointed this evening as the date of conception. She and Troy had been intimate several times before that night, but it wasn't until November that she skipped a period. December made it two. She was inclined to miss a month every now and again due to her small stature and active lifestyle, but she had never missed two in a row.

As soon as Gabriella realized the implication of the situation she rushed to the drug store. Twenty minutes and two E.P.T.s later, she was calling Troy.

It was Christmas Eve.

"Merry Christmas, Bolton Residence!" answered Mr. Bolton into the phone.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Mr. Bolton. It's Gabriella. May I please speak to Troy?" Gabriella replied.

"Certainly, Miss Montez…Troy! Gabriella's on the phone!" Mr. Bolton said, calling upstairs to Troy.

"I've got it up here," Troy called back, picking up the receiver on his desk. He smiled at the voice on the other line.

"Hey Babe, Merry Christmas."

"Hey, you too. I wish that's why I called but it's not. Is there any way you can come over ASAP? We need to talk," Gabriella replied, her voice trembling.

"Sure. What's going on?" Troy asked, concerned.

"I really don't want to talk about it on the phone. When can you be here?"

"Give me 10 minutes. Do you want me to meet you around back?"

"Yeah, my mom would kill me if she knew you were coming over so late."

"Ok, I'll see you in a few." Troy said quickly, hanging up the phone and grabbing his keys in one swift motion.

As he headed down the stairs toward the door, Troy heard his Dad calling for him.

"Hey Troy, where are you going? It's 9 o'clock on Christmas Eve!" Mr. Bolton said from his seat in the living room.

"I have to run over to Gabi's for a minute. It's really important. I'll be back soon." Troy responded, urgency in his tone. Jack Bolton gave him a firm look.

"Be back by curfew," he said sternly. Troy nodded once and was out the door.

Troy made it to Gabriella's house in record time. He parked in front of the neighbor's and instinctively scaled the back trellis to Gabriella's balcony. When he reached the door she was waiting.

Once in her room, Troy pulled her into a tight hug before taking a seat next to her on the bed.

"I came as fast as I could. What's up?" he asked.

Gabriella looked into his concerned eyes for a long moment, willing herself not to cry. What she was about to say would change everything—for both of them. Finally, she took a deep breath and whispered,

"I'm pregnant."

It took a moment for Troy to mentally digest what she had just said. When it hit him, the concern in his eyes tinged fearful.

"…You're pregnant? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive. I did two tests just to be sure...Troy, what are we going to do?" Gabriella replied, finally letting herself cry. Troy pulled her into his arms, placing his cheek against her hair.

He didn't know how to respond to her last question. His head was spinning and his thoughts were moving at a million miles a minute.

Gabi.

Pregnant.

With him.

He was going to be a father at seventeen. What would they do? How would their parents react? How would they even tell them? They were always so careful…how did this happen? When did this happen? The last thing on his mind was having a baby…but what should they do?

They sat in that position for several minutes, Troy holding Gabriella close as she cried into his shoulder. After a while, Troy finally figured out what he needed to say in response to her question. It was the only thing he knew for sure.

"Gabi, I love you. We'll do what is best…for all of us," he said, looking into her eyes as he placed a hand on her still-flat abdomen. Gabriella sobbed deeply and flung her arms back around Troy's neck.

"Troy…this changes everything," she whispered in his ear between sobs. He moved so that she was looking at his face.

"Not everything, Gabriella. We still love each other. We'll get through this together. And it won't be easy and we might not be accepted, but we'll be together—and as long as we're together then we can do this," he said soothingly, running his thumb along the tear tracks on her cheek, wiping them away as they fell.

"Troy, I love you too...it's just…what are we going to tell our parents? What are we going to do about college? Troy, I don't even know how far along I am. My mom will kill me if I don't finish High School," Gabriella replied, her sobs subsiding slightly.

"Well, we graduate in June, which would put you getting pregnant in September…how long has it been since your last period?" Troy asked, trying to work out the math.

"It was two weeks before Homecoming, so after then. I missed my first month the middle of November, and then the second should have come again last week and didn't, so it was probably right around Homecoming…"

"…Which puts you into the end of June, maybe beginning of July. I don't think you have any reason to worry about not graduating," Troy said, finishing her thought. "Here's my big question—how are we going to tell our parents? My dad is going to kill me…"

"I have a feeling my mom's not going to take the news well either. We should figure out what we're going to do before we tell them though. Maybe if they see that we've really thought this through, they'll be slightly comforted that we're not just rushing blindly into this," Gabriella added.

"Yeah, that's a good idea…Oh my God, Gabi. I don't even know…I wasn't expecting this," Troy said, running a hand through his hair nervously. Gabriella brought his eyes back to hers.

"That makes two of us. I mean, we always use protection. I never thought we'd be in that 15 when it doesn't work, you know? But I guess, what's done is done. We need to look at what we need to do to get ready for this."

"We need money. I have some savings, plus the money lessons bring in," Troy said. Gabriella reached into her bedside table and pulled out a notepad and pencil.

"Doctor's bills, baby stuff…" Gabriella wrote down. She looked up at Troy, "None of this is cheap. I have some savings too, from this summer. Plus I can get a job for after school—"

"Not for long though. You shouldn't work yourself too hard, especially once it gets closer to graduation. I'll talk to Chad's dad about picking up shifts after school and on weekends at his restaurant. I have a good bit saved up for college, but if we need to use it for the baby we can. If I get scholarship money it won't matter anyways." Troy said. Gabriella wrote 'after school jobs' on her list.

"Let's not touch college money, if we can help it. I still plan to go to college, even if not right away," she said.

"Yeah, me too," Troy agreed. "Alright, what else?"

"Well, what about us? I mean, we might be too young to get married, but…I don't know, should we?" Gabriella asked nervously. Troy offhandedly played with one of her curls.

"I think we should eventually, but now wouldn't be the right time. I mean, we're underage, sure, but more importantly, I don't want us to have some shotgun wedding just because of this. I'd rather wait a few years and have a nice wedding, with all our friends and family," Troy said thoughtfully. Gabriella sighed in relief.

"I want that too. Plus, I think we're going to need our parent's support with some of this…if they'll give it. So marriage will wait for now," Gabriella said.

"But not forever," Troy finished, grinning. He leaned into Gabriella and kissed her gently on the mouth, sealing his words. She leaned into him, returning the kiss. Their lips broke apart a moment later as they continued to plan their course of action.

"Alright, what about our friends, when should we tell them? And how are we going to tell our parents? We should do that soon," Gabriella stated. Troy nodded.

"Yeah, but first I think we should have a doctor confirm that you're pregnant. I could drive us to Planned Parenthood first thing tomorrow. The test is only ten dollars at the clinic, plus we can just walk in," Troy offered.

"Well, not tomorrow, as it's Christmas, but let's go the day after. If the test is positive—and I'm guessing it will be—we should tell our parents before break is over so that I can set-up a doctor's appointment with my mom," Gabriella replied.

"Ok, that sounds like a good plan. Do you want to tell them at your house or mine?" Troy asked. Gabriella thought for a moment.

"It's probably best if we do it at my house. This will all be much easier if my mom is willing to let me stay on her insurance plan. I don't know how we'll afford it if we have to pay out of pocket for all my check-ups. Plus, Mom and I were planning to have your family over for dinner before the new year, so that would be a good time to tell everyone all together," she said.

"A good time…if such a thing exists…" Troy said quietly. Gabriella shot him a look and he offered her a meek grin and responded, "No one ever said this would be easy."

"That's for sure," she sighed, flopping back on the bed. "So what's the decision with our friends?"

"I don't think we should tell them right away. Let's get our parents somewhat used to the idea before looping in the gang, ok?" Troy asked, propping himself on one arm beside her.

"That's probably the best idea. But if it gets too hard to keep the secret, for one reason or another, I say we tell them. Deal?" Gabriella replied.

"Deal," Troy confirmed, lying down next to her on the pillow. He resumed his musings with her hair. "I can't believe tomorrow's Christmas."

"Yeah, not exactly the present I was expecting," Gabriella replied, exhausted.

"You can say that again," Troy replied stoically. " Not in a million years was I expecting this. But you know what? I'm not upset. Scared as hell, sure, but not mad or unhappy. In a way, it's kind of exciting—us, sharing this. I love you, Gabi. More now than I ever could have imagined when we met almost a year ago. I don't know who I'd be today without you, but I know I would be nearly as happy as I am with you," he confessed, his eyes locked with Gabriella's. She smiled softly at him.

"I love you too, Troy. Merry Christmas," she said, snuggling into his warm side. "And hey, there is one silver-lined cloud in all of this."

"What?" Troy asked. Gabriella grinned coyly.

"We can have as much sex as we want for the next several months without repercussion," she said, smirking.

"Gabi!" Troy exclaimed, pleasantly amused by her aggressive words. She leaned over and kissed him firmly on the mouth, supplementing her last statement. They playfully made out for several minutes until the grandfather clock downstairs chimed 11 o'clock. Troy pulled up slightly, Gabriella lying completely beneath him.

"I should get home. My parents will flip if I'm out past curfew tonight," he said, rolling off her. He stood up and straightened his shirt. "I'll see you tomorrow. We'll figure out the details then." Gabriella stood beside him and he hugged her tightly. "Sleep well. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodnight," Gabriella replied, closing the balcony door behind him and waving as he left. Once Troy was out of sight, Gabriella flopped back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was scared for what the next few months would bring, but knowing that Troy was by her side made her feel like it would all turn out ok.

Troy sat in his car in front of his house and took a deep breath. He was going to be a dad. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying all at once. He exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and started toward the house. His family was coming over tomorrow and he needed to get a full night's sleep in preparation for the day's festivities. Merry Christmas, indeed.


	2. Telling the Parents

_DISCLAIMER__: Certain characters, themes, and ideas have been taken from the world of High School Musical created by Disney and subsidiaries. No copyright infringement is intended, I claim no ownership of anything you recognize and I am not making any money on this. _

_A/N: I've decided I was way selfish to keep this story to myself and neglect typing and updating this for the past two years. That being said, my goal is to have the entire story typed and posted by Christmas Day 2008. Thank you, everyone who's reviewed this already. I hope you'll stick with me 'til the end._

_Please remember that this story was written over two years ago, pre-HSM 2 & HSM 3, so any similarities to those two movies are purely coincidental. _

**Chapter Two – Telling the Parents**

Troy and Gabriella both celebrated the Christmas holiday with their families, just as they had every year before. However, this year instead of opening all of their presents both teens put most of their gifts aside to return or exchange…they needed baby money way more than a new DVD or X-Box game.

Gabriella's visit to the clinic confirmed her pregnancy; the test results indicating that she was nearly eight weeks along. Though she wouldn't start really showing until 16 weeks, the sooner she and Troy looped their parents in on the situation, the better. Gabriella suggested inviting Troy's family over for dinner the Thursday before New Year's Eve and Troy agreed. After dinner they would tell their parents about the impending arrival of their first grandchild.

Thursday morning both Troy and Gabriella were nervous wrecks. Looking back, Troy wasn't sure how he made it through the day without his parents asking him if he was ill, but somehow he wound up with his nerves intact as he stood on the Montez's doorstep with his parents that evening.

"Hello!" Ms. Montez chirped, opening the front door. "Please come in. Gabriella's just setting the table." As she ushered them in Troy let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

'This is it,' he thought, stepping over the threshold after his parents. He locked eyes with Gabriella as he walked toward the dining room after their parents, who were happily engaged in their own conversation. Troy could see that she was just as scared as he felt, so he smiled and pulled her into a deep hug.

"Hey you," he whispered in her ear. He felt her sigh into his shoulder.

"Hey yourself. Are you ready for this?" she asked quietly. Troy gave her an extra squeeze as he replied, "As I'll ever be." Gabriella knew exactly how he felt.

"Me too," she whispered, pulling out of his embrace as they took their seats at the dinner table.

Dinner passed seamlessly as the Bolton and Montez families shared a good meal and pleasant conversation. Ms. Montez asked Troy about the upcoming league championship tournament and Mr. Bolton complimented Gabriella on her performance of the National Anthem at the last home game before break. Troy and Gabriella partook in the conversation when necessary, but mostly spent the time pushing dinner around their plates and stealing glances at one another. After the meal Ms. Montez invited everyone into the living room for coffee. Troy grabbed Gabriella's hand to hold her back for a minute.

"Are you ready?" he asked again. Gabriella nodded.

"Do you want to say it or should I?" she asked. Troy was quick to respond.

"I want to say it. My dad's going to blame me anyways, so I'd rather take whatever heat I can sooner rather than later," he explained.

"Ok…We should go do it now," Gabriella replied, nodding as though the physical act of agreement would affirm her thoughts. Troy kissed her quickly before grabbing her hand and following after their parents. They entered the living room to hear both of their mothers discussing Winter Musicale auditions while Mr. Bolton reminded them both about basketball practice and tournament games.

"There are six games in the series and if we make it to all six then we have the championship game. This all happens in the next three weeks though, so there shouldn't be any interference with rehearsal. That's good news, huh Troy?" Mr. Bolton said jovially, directing the conversation toward his son. Troy gulped.

"Yeah, definitely…Uh, speaking of good news, there's something we wanted to tell you—"

"Have you heard back from State about your scholarship?" Mrs. Bolton asked excitedly.

"Uh, no, it's not that…" Troy felt sweat pooling at the back of his neck. Gabi squeezed his hand and gazed at him in reassurance as their parents looked at him expectantly. Troy heard his voice lilt as he continued, "Gabriella and I are going to have a baby."

"I'm eight weeks pregnant," Gabriella added, still squeezing his hand. After a long pause, the room exploded with questions and accusations from all three parents.

"Are you serious?!" "What were you thinking?!" "Are you two insane?!"

"Hija, what the hell do you think you're doing—" "You can't have a baby—" "You're just kids yourselves!"

"Have you thought about what this means?" "Say goodbye to your futures!"

"What are you going to do with a baby?" "You're going to put it up for adoption, you can't raise a child." "…..Do you know what this means?!?"

Troy and Gabriella sat next to each other and took the barrage of questions and criticisms from their parents. However, Troy stood up to respond to the last line of questions.

"We are having this baby and we're keeping it. We know we're young but Gabriella and I love each other, and our baby. I'm going to pick up shifts at Chad's parents restaurant and Gabi is going to apply for a position at the public library. We're both going to finish high school and we're both going to go to college – maybe not right away and maybe not at Duke or Stanford, but UNM is a great school too," he said, quiet passion laced through his voice. Gabriella stood up beside him.

"We're going to do this with or without your help, but we'd rather have your support than not as we navigate through this," Gabriella finished.

"Gabi," Luisa Montez said, reaching for her daughter's hand, "you're 17 years old. Having a baby right now is not what you need. You're supposed to go to Stanford next year. How can you go to school in California with a baby to care for?"

"I'm not going to go to Stanford, Mom, at least not for my Undergrad. The career counselor at EHS said its Grad and Medical school that really matters, so I'm going to go to UNM. If I'm lucky I can get a full scholarship – Stanford wouldn't give me that." Gabriella replied.

"Troy, what about basketball? The scouts from Duke and Chapel Hill have both expressed interest in you," Jack Bolton sighed, the news of his son's situation weighing heavily on his heart.

"And so has UNM," Troy quipped back. "Plus it's in-state, so it will be way more affordable. They might even give me a scholarship to play."

"But what about your future, Troy? You won't go pro from UNM—" Mr. Bolton argued. Troy cut him off.

"You don't know that. And I don't even know if I want to play pro ball. But I do want my degree – and I'll have it."

"How can you kids hope to raise a baby? They cost money like you don't have," Lucille Bolton stated.

"We're going to save as much as possible before the baby is born," Gabriella replied.

"And I can pull in another couple thousand caddying this summer," Troy added.

"But who's going to cover the medical expenses? The delivery alone can be thousands of dollars," Mrs. Montez asked.

"Well, we're not getting married, and we're both going to be in school, so I was hoping you'd let me stay on your insurance. We'll pay the difference, Mom, but staying covered with you would be a big help," Gabriella responded. Mrs. Montez sighed – they had obviously thought a lot about this.

"Of course you can stay on my company's insurance. But Gabi, this is crazy," Luisa said, taking her daughters free hand into her own, "you're both still so young."

"I'm glad you're not thinking of marriage. At least you've had one intelligent thought," Mr. Bolton stated roughly. Troy's brow creased in a pained expression.

"Dad—"

"No, Troy. You screwed up this time. What the hell were you thinking getting your girlfriend pregnant?" Jack asked, visibly upset.

"Jack—" Mrs. Bolton started.

"No, Lucy. He's throwing his future away—they both are. They cannot do this—"

"Dad, it's not like Gabriella and I said, 'let's have a baby!' It just happened. I was shocked at first, we both were, but we're not angry or upset or anything. We know we're going to be good parents," Troy said calmly.

"You're too young to be having sex in the first place," Lucille declared.

"Mom, we're 17! I'm almost 18. We've been together for almost a year now, and Gabriella and I love each other. We both decided we were ready to take that step—" Troy responded in explanation before Ms. Montez cut him off.

"And did you ever consider the possible consequences of your actions?"

"Yes, which is why we were always careful. Nothing's fool proof, Mom," Gabriella countered.

"Obviously," Mr. Bolton sighed, exhaling a long breath. He rubbed his face with the palm of his hand and sat back on the couch, looking slightly resigned. "Ok, so Gabriella's pregnant. What's the next step from here?"

"Well first I need to see a doctor. I've been to the clinic, but—"

"You went to a clinic? Without me knowing?" Luisa asked, interrupting her daughter.

"Yeah. We wanted to make sure I was actually pregnant before having this conversation," Gabriella explained. "That's how I knew I'm eight weeks along." Ms. Montez nodded in understanding.

"Alright, so Gabriella needs to get set-up for prenatal appointments. What else do we need to talk about tonight?" …

… … …

An hour later, the hysteria and shock that resulted from Troy and Gabriella's announcement was finally dying down in the Montez household. Gabriella and Troy explained their plan to their parents and all the adults agreed to help out when possible, but both Ms. Montez and the Bolton's encouraged their children to seriously consider the possibility of giving the baby up for adoption over the next couple months. "If you truly want what's best for the baby, you'll at least consider it," Mrs. Bolton had said.

As his parents were putting on their coats and getting ready to go, Troy pulled Gabriella behind the staircase and kissed her long and hard. "I love you, Gabriella," he whispered, pulling away slightly. "The worst part is over. We can do this."

"I know we can. We are going to do this. And I love you too," Gabriella replied, hugging him tightly. They heard a throat clear from down the hall.

"I'll call you in the morning. Sleep well," Troy whispered, placing a kiss on Gabriella's cheek as he pulled away from her embrace.

"Goodnight Troy," Gabriella replied, walking him toward his waiting parents at the door. "Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton."

"Goodnight Gabriella. Goodnight Luisa," Mrs. Bolton replied, her husband nodding in agreement.

"Goodnight," Ms. Montez responded, closing the door behind the Bolton's. She then turned back to Gabriella; the fire from the previous hour quickly returning to her eyes.

"Mi hija, have a seat."

… … …

_Please review!_


	3. Preparations

_Author's note: Danny is Troy's older brother._

**Chapter Three: Preparations**

Troy called Gabriela the next morning, as promised. As it turns out, neither of their parents had considered the conversation over just because the Bolton's had left the Montez house.

"I spent a good portion of last night talking to my dad about how babies are made. He just kept laying into me and saying 'how did this happen?' It's been made very clear to me that I let them down," Troy said. Gabriella sighed.

"Me too. Well, about the letting my mom down part. She didn't ask how it happened. You'd think that was pretty clear..."

"You'd think," Troy sighed. "Alright, so we have lots to do between now and July. You want to come over and make a month-by-month checklist? My mom said that's what they did before Danny and it really helped."

"Yeah, just let me ask my mom. She might not be too keen on letting me visit you right now."

"Right. Because not seeing me will make you un-pregnant," Troy scoffed. Gabriela giggled on the other end. 'He's so cute when he's mad.'

"Exactly. Let me ask." Troy heard Gabriella put down the phone and leave the room. Two minutes later she returned.

"Mom said I can go, but she needs the car, so it will take me about half an hour to walk over."

"I'll come pick you up. My mom needs me to pick up milk anyway, so as long as you don't mind a detour to the grocery store..."

"No, that's fine. See you in a bit."

"Bye," Troy said, hanging up the phone. His parents had gone to a luncheon that afternoon, so Troy locked up the house and headed over to Gabriella's.

Over the next few hours, Troy and Gabriella put together a month-by-month sketch of what needed to be done. Gabriella needed to get some maternity clothes by month four, so they agreed to hit up every garage sale and Savers they could before then. Gabriella also needed to set up doctors appointments for each month, and they both needed to put money away in savings each month – they figured $800 each month would give them somewhere to start. They would tell their friends at month six, if it hadn't come out by then, and they both needed to have their college acceptance letters in the mail by May 1st.

And so Operation: B-squared (Baby Bolton), as Troy dubbed it, had begun.

The first month after telling their parents was rough, mostly because both Troy and Gabriella felt their parents' discontent. However, Gabriella had her first prenatal visit (with success) and both she and Troy became employed.

The next month got complicated when Gabriella's baby bump began to grow. The fitted tees were changed in favor of Princess-cut tops. Gabriella's B's grew to C's and Troy was only too appreciative of her changing shape. Gabi's mom got used to seeing Troy for breakfast 1-2 times a week, after he'd fallen asleep mid-visit. Since both teens were under 18 the latest they could work was 10 PM, but getting homework done after that time (as well as whatever activities the couple enjoyed behind closed doors) placed Gabi and Troy in bed around 2 AM -- and up at 6 AM to do it all over again.

Though their friends hadn't commented on Gabriella's recent weight gain, by the end of the fifth month they knew something was going on. Always petite Gabriella was wearing loose, baggy layers, she and Troy looked like they were getting little to no sleep, and both of them had accepted admission to UNM -- the one place neither of them had mentioned wanting to go.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sharpay was the first one to put all the pieces together. Knowing it was only a matter of time before everyone else caught on, she approached Troy in mid April after free period.

Though Sharpay wasn't someone Troy would consider a friend, she was more acquaintance than enemy. She had never really accepted Gabriela (girls and their pride), but she had backed off flirting with Troy out of respect. Both Troy and Gabriella were appreciative.

Troy was walking down the hall towards the front exit, where he was meeting Gabi for some pre-Calc prep before his exam next. As he was crossing by the auditorium doors, someone reached out and grabbed his arm, yanking him inside the dimly lit room.

"Sharpay! What the hell are you trying to do, dislocate my shoulder?!" Troy exclaimed upon seeing the blonde actress. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, Troy. Like I want to ruin your future even more than it is," she retorted.

"What did you say?" Troy replied, narrowing his eyes. Sharpay's face softened.

"Look, I didn't mean to come off so harsh. I'm sorry. I just wanted to pull you aside to see if you need anything," she spoke quietly.

"What?" Troy said, somewhat taken aback by her look of pity.

'No one gives me enough credit,' Sharpay thought, sighing. "Look, Troy. I know what's going on with you and Gabriella. Pretty soon your teammates and the nerd patrol will too. Gabriella's gotten way too big to think she's still fooling people -- She's obviously pregnant," Sharpay finished. Troy glanced at the floor.

"…You think anyone else knows?" he whispered.

"While it's no secret that little miss size 2 has porked up and filled out--"

"Hey--" Troy tried to interject, but Sharpay continued.

"--But no, I don't think anyone else has put all the pieces in place."

"Oh, good."

"Good? Troy, how far along is she? Six months?"

"... How do you know these things?"

"Let's just say my sister was barely legal when she had my niece."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I'm going to assume you're the daddy from the way you two continue to make googly eyes at each other in the halls," Sharpay trailed off.

Troy blushed.

"...Anywho, we have a bunch of baby stuff in the attic from when Kara was born. My mom was going to donate it, but if you need anything, you can have it."

"Do you have a stroller…or car seat…or bottles…or clothes?"

"Yeah, like try all of the above. We have a crib too."

"My mom kept my crib, in case I ever wanted it for my own baby, go figure. Although she never thought it'd be this soon, I'm sure."

"... Right. Anyways, If you and the missus want to come by this evening to look at what we've got, feel free. Ryan and I will be home at seven, so anytime after then is fine."

"Wow, Sharpay. Thanks. I'll talk to Gabi about it after school..." Troy couldn't believe this was the same girl who had tried to ruin his and Gabriella's relationship a year ago. "I really appreciate this," he said. Then a frightening thought struck him. "You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

"Well, Ryan already knows because we're twins and that whole 'he knows what I know' thing comes into play. But we're not going to spread your news for you this time. This is something you need to tell your friends about yourselves. I have no desire to be burned at the stake, thank you very much."

"Gee, thanks... you really think they'll take it that bad?"

"Troy, how long have you been keeping the biggest secret in the world from your best friends?"

"Four months..."

"Exactly. I can think of two people in particular that will feel like you betrayed their friendship by not telling them about this."

"Their names wouldn't happen to rhyme with 'mad sailor,' would they?" Troy asked jokingly. Sharpay pinched his cheek in a mocking manner.

"And they say Gabrielle is the brains of this operation."

Troy smirked and pulled away. He shook his head as if to clear it, and sighed.

"Gabi and I will cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, I need to get to the math lab so I don't fail calculus. Thanks, Sharpay. I'll see you later."

"Toodles! And you're welcome." Sharpay replied, bounding down the hall in the opposite direction.

Troy rushed to meet Gabriella for a quick study session. He'd already missed half of free period, but he needed all the help he could get for the math test. Gabriella only gave him the dismayed, 'we'll talk later' look as he entered the classroom, and they went straight into test prep mode.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One test and two classes later, Troy had grabbed a carton of milk and was headed to meet Gabrielle on the roof. They generally ate lunch with their friends, but Troy had received a note in his locker asking him to meet her here. Gabriella was waiting when he arrived.

"Hey, Mama," Troy greeted, placing a kiss on her upturned lips.

"Hey, you. I take it you got my note?" She replied.

"Otherwise I'd be sitting in the cafeteria wondering where you are," he said in jest. "So what's going on?"

"Just felt like not being in the middle of it all. I needed a break from everyone for a few minutes."

"…Do you want me to leave?"

"No, silly. 'Everyone' doesn't include you."

"Right... I think this pregnancy thing is messing with your vocabulary knowledge."

"Ha ha. So how did your test go?"

"It was alright. I probably got a B. There was one theorem I think I messed up, and it was worth 10 points, so we'll see."

"Speaking of your test, why were you late for our study session?"

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. Sharpay and I had a conversation on my way to the math lab."

"... And?"

"Well, there's good and bad. The good thing is we have a stroller and a car seat."

"And the bad?"

"She knows about us. Ryan does too."

"... Did she say how?"

"She said she 'put the pieces together.' She doesn't think anyone else knows, but she said we should tell them soon, because pretty soon you're not going to be able to hide B-squared anymore."

"That explains why when I bumped into Ryan he nearly fainted asking if I was okay."

"Yeah…so that's the bad news. The good news is that Sharpay and Ryan's older sister had a baby girl a few years back, so they have all this barely used stuff in the Evans attic. Sharpay said we could come by anytime tonight after 7 PM, and we can have whatever we want--her mom was going to get rid of it anyway."

"Oh my goodness, that's amazing! I've been wondering how we were going to afford all this stuff...and Sharpay doesn't have anything she wants out of this? You don't have to do anything for her?"

"Ha ha. I asked her that too. She said it was going to charity anyway, and we're in need of charity. No strings attached."

"Wow...how very unexpected of Sharpay," Gabriella thought allowed, allowing the last few minutes of conversation to settle in her mind.

"Definitely. Though not unappreciated." Troy qualified.

"That's for certain. Oh my gosh, I feel like all huge weight has been lifted. I have to work until 7:30, so can we go then?"

"Yeah, tonight's my night off from the restaurant. I have two junior lessons, but those are done by six. How about I pick you up at work and we'll head to the Evans' place from there?"

"Okay," Gabriella replied, the smile on her face growing as everything finally sank in. Troy couldn't help but think of how much he loved to see her smile.

"It's nice when things work out, huh?" he said, looping his arm around her shoulder.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," She grinned, leaning into place a kiss on his mouth. This seemingly innocent kiss quickly became not so much, and before either of them was ready to stop the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Troy groaned.

"Promise we'll finish this later?" he asked, giving her one more kiss.

"Tonight. After homework. I promise." Gabriella grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the bench. "As for now, it's AP US for me."

"Yeah, and I've got English. Let's go." Troy replied, grabbing his bag and squeezing Gabriella's hand as they headed back down to reality.

_A/N: I don't even want to dignify the obscene stretches of time between updates with a response – plain and simple, I suck. And I've totally crossed over onto Twighlighted(dot)net and don't spend nearly as much time on as I used to. I will keep working on getting this story typed up and posting the chapters as they're typed. Thanks for sticking with me!_

_~Kat_


	4. Spreading the News

_DISCLAIMER__: Certain characters, themes, and ideas have been taken from the world of High School Musical created by Disney and subsidiaries. No copyright infringement is intended and I claim no ownership of anything you recognize. _

_A/N: This one's for everyone who's posted a review, added this story to their alert list, or added me to their author alert. You all are amazingly wonderful and I am so grateful to have readers like you. Thank you for your patience with me…now on with the next chapter!_

**Chapter Four: Spreading the News**

It had been two weeks since the conversation with Sharpay, and Troy and Gabriella were making the final plans for breaking the news to their friends. Gabriella suggested telling Taylor and Chad separately before the rest of their group. They would tell their close teammates and friends later in the week at dinner, but Gabriella thought – and Troy agreed – that Taylor and Chad should know first. Troy had arranged to work the evening shift at Chad's parent's restaurant so that he and Gabriella could meet their best friends at the park after school, under the guise of "shooting hoops."

Troy and Gabriella arrived at the park to find Taylor and Chad already engaged in a game of 1-on-1…apparently with no rules about holding or traveling.

"Alright you two break it up," troy joked, jogging over to greet his friends. Gabriella followed at a walk.

"Bolton! It's about time you showed up," Chad greeted him, pulling his friend into a one-armed hug.

"Yeah, lucky you came before I beat the pants off him," Taylor chimed in, hugging Troy. She turned to Gabriella, who had just arrived alongside Troy. "Hey girl! You ready to show these boys how the game is played?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I'm not here to play," Gabriella replied. Taylor gave her a 'you're joking' look and grabbed her hand.

"Ha Ha, Gabi. I know you don't expect me to beat these boys by myself…not that I couldn't," she added, looking challengingly at Troy and Chad.

"Of course, of course," Troy chuckled nervously. He cleared his throat before continuing, "Actually, um…there's something Gabi and I want to talk to you two about. We didn't really come to play. So…you want to go for a walk?" He nodded his head in the direction of the nature trail behind the basketball courts. Chad gave him a confused look.

"Uh, suuure…" he replied slowly. They began walking toward the trail. "So what's up?"

"Well, its kind of a long story, and it's pretty major, and kind of important to us that you both know, because you're our best friends-" Troy started.

"And we really want you to be ok with this," Gabriella added.

"Because we really value your friendship and-"

"We really want your support, and-"

"Troy! Gabriella!" Taylor exclaimed, halting their verbal tennis match. She and Chad stopped walking and she asked, "What is it?" Gabriella and Troy looked at each other. Then they spoke at the same time.

"Gabi's pregnant."

"I'm pregnant. "

No one said anything for a second. Taylor took a step back. Chad kept looking back and forth between them as though they had three heads. Finally, Chad spoke up.

"Are you freakin' serious?" Troy nodded.

"Dead serious. We're going to have a baby."

"Wow."

"Yeah. So…" Troy trailed off, not knowing what else to say. Taylor finally spoke up.

"Oh my gosh, Gabi. I mean, I noticed you filled out a bit but I didn't want to say anything, and now everything makes sense, what with the job and the new clothes…wow, girl. I guess congratulations are in order," she said, giving Gabriella a big hug. She pulled away quickly, looking horrified. "I'm not hurting you, am I?" Gabriella giggled.

"Not at all. Hugs are totally allowed," she said, pulling Taylor back in for another hug.

"Wow man, what are you gonna do?" Chad asked, still looking shocked.

"Well, Gabi and I already talked to our parents and we're going to keep working until the baby comes. Then Gabi's going to stay home with our baby and I'm going to keep working. B-squared is going to stay with Gabi at her house and I'm going to be there as much as possible. Our moms agreed to help out with watching the baby once school starts in the fall, but we're both going to UNM so we'll be living at home," Troy answered.

"My mom talked about letting Troy move in after graduation to help get ready for the baby, so he's probably going to move in with me in June," Gabriella added.

"Wow. When's the baby due?" Taylor asked.

"July 21st, if he or she is on time." Gabriella replied.

"So wait…Gabriella, you're already six months along?"

"Pretty crazy, huh?"

"Yes! Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Tay, please don't be mad. We didn't find out until Christmas. Then we had to tell our parents and get all our plans in order. We also had to visit the doctor for the official prenatal visit and to make sure everything was progressing like it should. We wanted to have everything confirmed before dragging anyone else in," Gabriella explained. Taylor still looked a bit hurt.

"But we could have helped. Do you have everything you need?"

"Not nearly," Gabriella replied. "But we have an appointment Saturday afternoon and we're going to find out if it's a boy or a girl then, so after we know that we can start getting more clothes and stuff."

"Has either of your moms set up a baby shower or anything?" Taylor asked. Gabriella shook her head no.

"There hasn't been any time. Plus, who would they invite? No one knows yet!"

"Speaking of, when are you planning to tell everyone else?" Chad chimed in. Troy responded.

"At dinner Friday night. We just wanted to tell you two first."

"I still can't believe this, man. This is huge," Chad said, letting out a deep breath.

"It took me a little while to get used to the idea too. But now, I'm so excited. Scared as hell, but still really excited too," Troy said, wrapping his arm around Gabriella's waist and rubbing the side of her stomach. Gabriella smiled up at him for a moment before turning back to their friends.

"Alright. So now that you know, how do you think everyone else is going to take the news?" she asked.

Taylor and Chad shared a look. It was going to take some time to plan their approach. Basketball was totally forgotten.

Friday evening came and Troy picked up Gabriella and Taylor at the Montez house. Chad's house was next and then they were on their way to dinner.

Once a month since last summer, their group of friends got together for dinner at Chad's parent's restaurant, Papi's. Zeke, Jason and Kelsi were already there by the time Troy parked. Marsha and Ryan showed up shortly thereafter. Troy and Gabriella had decided to share their news with everyone after dinner arrived and before desert, so that in the event someone was upset the entire meal wasn't ruined.

The waitress was clearing their plates while Jason related a story about the time he caught Chad lip synching to Michael Jackson's "Bad" in the men's locker room after practice. Everyone was cracking up at his visual reenactment.

"Hey, that is a good song," Chad replied defensively.

"But the fact that you know every move is kinda scary dude," Jason replied, still laughing.

"Don't be a hater. Just 'cause you can't move like this," Chad shot back, standing up and doing a spin. This sent everyone at the table into another bout of laughter, including Chad himself. "Alright alright. Enough about me, time to pick on someone else…so Zeke, what's new?"

"Ah hah, you're not pulling that on me," Zeke laughed, leaning back into the corner of the booth. "So what's everyone up to this weekend?"

"Cousin's wedding."

"Baseball game."

"Recital rehearsal."

"Doctor's appointment," Gabriella and Troy replied together.

"So you two are now planning your doctor's visits together? Y'all are too much," Jason chuckled. Troy and Gabriella shared a look and decided it was time.

"Actually, there's a reason for that…we actually wanted to talk to you guys about something," Troy said, putting an arm around the back of Gabriella's chair.

"Oh my gosh, are you ok?" Kelsi asked, turning to Gabriella and looking for visible signs of ailment.

"No worries, Kels, I'm fine…actually, I'm pregnant," Gabriella replied. The whole table fell silent.

"Surprise?" Troy said, trying to break the ice after the long pause.

"Wait, so you're serious?" Zeke whispered. Gabriella and Troy both nodded.

"We found out at Christmas time, but we needed to figure things out for ourselves before we told anyone. We find out tomorrow if it's a boy or a girl," Troy replied, subconsciously rubbing the side of Gabriella's stomach.

"So you're keeping it?" Jason asked.

"Yes," Gabriella replied firmly. "We didn't plan on this happening, but we're really excited now. Once we know if it's a boy or a girl we can start setting up for him or her. Plus, we can narrow down some names-"

"Gabriella, you're only 17," Martha interrupted. "Do your parents know?"

"Our parents have known for a few months now. Needless to say no one was thrilled by the news, but we've been preparing and planning for this as best we can so it's not like we're not trying to be responsible about it. Gabi's mom has been great helping with all the doctor stuff and all of our parents accept what's happening so no one's been disowned or anything. Though I thought my dad was going to kill me when we told them," Troy responded. "Anyways, you all are our closest friends and we wanted to tell you ourselves before you start hearing rumors floating around school. Gabi's going to start really showing in a month or so and we know once it gets out at school there's going to be tons of gossip and stuff. So yeah…feel free to jump in at any time, guys…" Troy trailed off, looking at Chad and Taylor.

"Hey man, you know I'll be there to help out with the new little Bolton. We're going to have a mini Kobe in no time," Chad chimed in.

"Or Kobette," Gabriella added.

"Doesn't matter to me," Chad smiled.

"And you know I'll be there whenever y'all need a hand. Besides, someone has to teach this child how to push her parent's buttons," Taylor said, grinning.

"Hey, there will be none of that," Troy jokingly replied. The return of normal banter seemed to relax the tense atmosphere at the table.

"Seriously guys, you know we're gonna be here for you. This kid is going to be the most spoiled baby on the block. He or she will have world class jazz squares by the time they're ready to hit the stage," Ryan said supportively, glad the news was now out in the open.

"Gabi, I hope you've got your 'Soccer Mom' bumper sticker ready – because from listening to all these guys your little one is going to be spending a lot of time on extra-curriculars," Kelsi stated.

Gabriella looked at Troy and smiled as she whispered, "Ready or not."

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading…please leave a review!**


	5. Countdown

_DISCLAIMER__: Certain characters, themes, and ideas have been taken from the world of High School Musical created by Disney and subsidiaries. No copyright infringement is intended and I claim no ownership of anything you recognize. _

_A/N: It's a miracle, but here's another chapter in less than a month! It's because of all my wonderful reviews that I want to keep going to get this typed up for you to enjoy. You all are amazingly wonderful and I am so grateful to have readers like you. Thank you for your patience with me…now on with the next chapter!_

**Chapter Five: Countdown**

Less than two weeks after telling their friends, word started going around school that Gabriella Montez was knocked up by Troy Bolton – basketball superstar. Their friends did was they could to diffuse the situation, but there were a lot of people who were less than happy for the expecting couple.

Most people gave them looks of pity (teachers especially). Some of the more outspoken conservatives voiced their disappointment with the couple "that had such potential.' Some students were genuinely happy for Troy and Gabriella.

"Gabriella, I admire the fact that you didn't run out and get an abortion. You're so much stronger than most of those girls," one younger student had confided in her, nodding her head toward a group of sophomore girls who were clearly talking about her. Gabriella and Troy were prepared for such a reaction, and they could have cared less. Those who mattered most to them were on their side, and for that they couldn't be more grateful.

The doctor's appointment the previous month had revealed that Baby Bolton was a 'she.' Troy was ecstatic. Whenever he saw Gabriella throughout the school day he would ask how "his girls" were doing – to which Gabriella generally replied, "tired."

At seven months, pregnancy had begun to take a big toll on Gabriella Montez. She still tutored and worked in the library after school, but by the time weekends rolled around she didn't want to do much of anything other than sleep and relax. Troy was supportive of her doing so whenever possible, and had picked up extra lessons to bring in more money for their savings so that Gabriella could take the time she needed to recover after B-squared was born.

Still, even with their crazy schedules, Troy & Gabriella spent time together. The Bolton's seemed to see less and less of their son while Mrs. Montez regularly saw him at her breakfast table. Troy had all but moved in to Gabriella's room, especially as they were setting up the nursery – a corner of Gabriella's room that had become a delicate purple hue in anticipation of their little girl.

One Saturday afternoon late into Gabriella's seventh month of pregnancy, she found herself standing in front of the most beautiful red dress she had ever seen, hanging on her bedroom door.

"Mom?" Gabriella called into the hallway. She had no idea where this dress had come from, and she didn't want to make assumptions. Her mom came up the stairs a minute later.

"Do you like it?" she asked, smiling.

"Is it for me?" Gabriella gasped, touching the shimmering fabric.

"Of course, silly. Unless you know someone else who lives here who needs a dress for Prom…"

"Prom? Mom, Troy and I said we weren't going. We're saving the money…"

"Well Donna, Jack and I see how the two of you have been working nonstop to get ready for the baby. And we talked and decided that you shouldn't miss your Senior Prom – it's a once-in-a-lifetime night, honey," Luisa said, stroking her daughter's long brown curls. Gabriella looked up at her mother, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Mom…I…thanks…" Gabriella said, hugging her mom tightly. Luisa continued stroking Gabriella's hair as she held her close. She would be graduating high school in two weeks, then a month later her granddaughter would be brought into the world. It was a lot for any young woman to deal with, but Gabriella had remained her usual cheerful self through it all – never giving into self pity or depression. Though her pregnancy was certainly unexpected, Gabriella carried it beautifully. Luisa's little girl was no more – without either of them truly realizing it, she had become a young woman. Luisa wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"Alright mi hija, time to get ready. Troy will be here in two hours to pick you up. Hop in the shower and I'll set the curlers to warm," Luisa said, looking down at her daughter. Gabriella smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom."

Troy had been very surprised to come home from his last lesson of the day to find his best suit laid on his bed, freshly pressed. He too asked his parents what the occasion was, and was deeply grateful for their thoughtfulness. His dad had even picked up a corsage for Gabriella. As Troy approached his girlfriend's house – tickets in his pocket and corsage resting on the front seat beside him – he couldn't wait to see Gabriella.

"Good evening, Ms. Montez," Troy greeted Luisa as she answered the door.

"Hello, Troy. Come in. Gabriella should be down in a minute or two."

Troy nodded and entered the foyer, corsage in hand. He and Gabriella had always gone to Homecoming with a group of friends, so this would be both their first and last high school dance with just the two of them. Troy sighed softly, thinking of all the good times they'd shared the past few months. Sure circumstances weren't ideal, but Gabriella never stopped smiling. And because of her, Troy hadn't either.

Troy heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to find himself staring at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. His radiant girlfriend – nearly eight months pregnant with their little girl – was a vision in crimson red. Gabriella's curls were piled loosely on her head, ringlets cascading over her shoulders and down her back. Troy was at a loss for words.

"See something you like?" Gabriella asked coyly, sharing a glance with her mom and grinning. Troy nodded silently for a moment before clearing his throat and finding his voice.

"Gabi, you look…incredible…" he whispered softly in awe. She placed her arms around his waist and pulled him close to her belly.

"You look pretty good yourself," Gabriella replied, brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. "See, Mom, I told you he cleaned up nicely," Gabriella said to her mother in an exaggerated whisper. Both Troy and Luisa laughed.

"Alright you two, it wouldn't be Prom without some pre-fun parental pictures," Luisa said as she pulled out her camera. Troy and Gabriella pretended to grumble even as they moved to pose by the door.

Luisa snapped away while Troy placed the corsage onto Gabriella's wrist and she placed a red rose from their garden in the pocket of his jacket. They posed together for another five minutes worth of pictures before Luisa ushered them out the door to get to the dinner-dance.

Troy opened the car door for Gabriella and helped her get in before getting in the driver's seat and heading to the Doubletree downtown where the event was taking place.

"I may have forgotten to mention this back at the house, but my goodness you look good in red," Troy gushed as he drove them toward the hotel. Gabriella giggled.

"Double vision," she quipped, rubbing her stomach. Troy reached for her hand and smiled at her quickly before returning his eyes to the road.

"A million times more beautiful than any other girl I've ever seen."

It took them about twenty minutes to reach their destination. All their friends were surprised and ecstatic to see them walk through the "Paradise"-themed arch, and all eyes turned as they entered the room. Troy lead Gabriella to a table near the front where Chad, Taylor, Kelsi, Martha, Ryan and Jason were already seated.

'Oh my God, you came!" Taylor squealed, hugging Gabriella. "Oh, wow, look at this dress! Troy, you let her out in public like this where other men can ogle?"

"Tay, I can't believe you just used the word 'ogle' in reference to me. Besides, somehow I think Troy's marked his territory," Gabriella replied, patting her rotund stomach. Everyone at the table laughed as Troy blushed, grinning.

"Hey, can't be too obvious," Troy joked, pulling out Gabriella's chair and helping her sit. Taylor nudged Chad in the arm and he did the same for her.

"Such control," Gabriella whispered to Kelsi, nodding toward Chad and Taylor as he now sat himself. Kelsi giggled.

"I always knew with a little direction these boys could clean up nicely," she whispered back.

Dinner was a lovely affair as the eight friends reminisced on the last four years, reliving stories and cracking inside jokes. After all the plates had been taken away the floor was cleared for dancing, and slowly couples and friends made their way to the dance floor.

Gabriella and Troy stated seated at their table for the first few songs chatting with Kelsi and Jason, but when the strains of John Mayer floated through the speakers, Troy stood up and led Gabriella onto the dance floor.

_I know a girl  
She puts the color inside of my world…_

They danced, holding each other close as Troy sang along quietly in Gabriella's ear. Anyone who looked at them could tell that in that moment they may as well have been the only two that existed in their world. Troy was standing behind Gabriella with his arms wrapped around her stomach as she leaned back against his chest, swaying in time with the music. Once the song ended they left the dance floor and resumed their seats at the table.

"I'm afraid slow songs are about all I'm good for at the moment," Gabriella said, smiling tiredly.

"I'm sure Troy won't hold that against you," Jason replied with a grin.

"I second that," Troy said, taking the seat next to Gabriella.

Throughout the evening couples commuted between their tables and the dance floor. Troy and Gabriella ventured out a few more times for the slow songs, and Gabriella hit the floor a couple times with the girls. Chad and Troy had also switched partners for one of the slow songs so that they had a chance to dance with their other best girl friends as well. Mostly, Troy and Gabriella stayed at the table and enjoyed the company and conversation of their friends. Several of their classmates stopped by to compliment Gabriella on her dress. ("You wear red like I wear pink – beautifully," Sharpay had said when she and Zeke stopped by.)

Around 11pm Troy could see that Gabriella was exhausted and they began the long procession towards the exit, saying goodbye to friends and classmates as they passed. They arrived back at Gabriella's house at quarter to midnight, Gabriella dozing quietly in the passenger seat. Troy didn't want to wake her, but he knew she'd sleep best in her own bed and he didn't want to chance carrying her up the stairs in her pregnant state.

Luisa saw them pull in the driveway and opened the door as they came up the walk, Gabriella leaning heavily against Troy with her eyes half closed.

"I'll take her upstairs," Troy said quietly as they crossed the threshold.

"Are you planning to spend the night?" Luisa asked casually. Over the past several months, she had gotten used to Troy staying overnight to be there with Gabriella as she went through her pregnancy.

"Yeah, I called my mom and dad after we left Prom to let them know," Troy replied. Luisa smiled and leaned over, kissing Gabriella's forehead.

"Goodnight," she whispered, first looking at Gabriella then nodding at Troy. Gabriella mumbled something that sounded like 'goodnight' as she and Troy headed upstairs.

The next morning Gabriella awoke to find herself lying in her bed, a familiar arm draped comfortably over her side and across her stomach. She saw the beautiful red dress hung neatly on the bathroom door and couldn't help but think (and not for the first time) that she had a wonderful boyfriend. She rolled over to face Troy, softly brushing the hairs across his forehead.

A familiar, gentle touch was pulling Troy away from his dream of cradling a beautiful little girl in his arms. When he opened his eyes to find Gabriella's staring back at him, he smiled.

"I was just dreaming about you," he said quietly, his voice rough with the morning. "And Baby B."

"Good things, I hope," Gabriella replied. Troy smiled, recalling his dream.

"Incredible things," he answered, leaning in to kiss her soundly on the mouth. She snuggled in closer as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"You know, at some point we are going to have to come up with a proper name for this little girl," Gabriella said, rubbing a spot on her stomach where the baby was currently kicking. "I don't think 'B-Squared' or 'Soccer Star' is going to fly when she's older." Troy chuckled.

"I fully intend to further develop that athletic talent once she's walking, by the way," he commented. Gabriella moved his hand over to the current site of motion in her womb.

"I don't think you'll have any problems with that," she agreed. "So, what do you think?"

"How about Troy Jr.?" Troy joked.

"Troy…"

"I know, I know, that's a boy's name. So how about Troyella? We'll have to leave off the Jr., of course…" Troy babbled. Gabriella playfully smacked his chest.

"Troy, I'm serious."

"Ok, I was just kidding."

"How about Sarah?" Gabriella suggested. Troy shook his head.

"No, too plain. Our little girl needs a name with a cool nickname, like Julia becoming Jules or something."

"Ok, but not Julia. Bad associations from a past school," Gabriella replied.

"Ok, so what other names do you like?"

"How about Samantha? Sam for short."

"Meh…how about Alexandra and Lexi for short?" Troy said. Gabriella wrinkled her nose.

"I like Lexi, but not Alexandra. What about Cassandra and we call her Cassie for short?"

"Cassandra sounds so hoity toity," Troy replied. Gabriella giggled at his choice of words and he grinned at her. "You know what I mean."

"I know. I'm trying to think of something with significance to us. I don't think we should name her after either of our mothers….what's your Grandma's name?"

"Gertrude. She goes by Gerty…" Troy answered, shaking his head no.

"Alright, forget that. And I thought my Abuela Bernardita had it bad…so what else? Maybe a place or something?"

"Wildcat Bolton. I like it," Troy joked. Gabriella laughed.

"I vote 'no' on that. And before you suggest it, I also vote 'no' to Snowboard Bolton."

"Darn and that was my next suggestion…" Troy replied in jest, before his eyes started to light up. "But now that I'm thinking about it…what about Maddy? Short for Madison. The ski lodge we met at was in Wisconsin."

"Maddy Bolton. Madison Anne Bolton," Gabriella said, inserting the name of her favorite literary character to serve as a middle name. "I think I like it."

"Madison Anne…it's perfect. So agreed?" Troy asked. Gabriella nodded, smiling. Troy scooted down on the bed to put his head near Gabriella's stomach.

"I love you, Maddy Anne. Your mommy and I can't wait to meet you."

Gabriella couldn't have stopped the tears if she tried.

**A/N: Only one more chapter and the epilogue from here. :) Thanks for reading, and please review!**


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